It was a strategic victory of World War II and one of the most fantastic breaks for the Allies. On March 7, 1945, a small group of American infantrymen, engineers, and tank crews secured the Ludendorff Bridge that crossed the Rhine. The successful mission saved thousands of American lives and spearheaded the invasion on Nazi Germany. It is also the moving story of men who did not consider themselves heroes, but who performed magnificently under fire. In this amazing true story, Ken Hechler gives you the hour-by-hour account of brilliant military daring, human courage, and almost incredible luck that profoundly changed the course of the war.

ﾠ"One of the best [books] on the war that I have read." -Harry S. Truman

"A blow-by-blow account that probably comes as close to the truth as history can hope to approach." -The New York Times

"An absorbing story . . . a great contribution to military history." -General Matthew B. Ridgeway

About the Author:Ken Hechler received a Ph.D. in political science from Columbia University and taught at Columbia College. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II and, after service in the European Theater of Operations, rose to the rank of major. He assisted President Roosevelt in the preparation of the thirteen-volume Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Hechler taught political science at Princeton, and later he accepted the post of special assistant in charge of research for President Truman. In 1958, Hechler became a congressman of West Virginia and served his state for eighteen years.